Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing: A Practical Way to Lead Teams Through Growth

Growing a company means living with change. Teams shift as the business evolves, and roles tend to stretch before they are fully redefined. It can also create pressure that shows up in day-to-day work.

Most employers recognize the signs quickly. Communication takes more effort. Decisions slow down. Accountability feels less clear across teams. In many cases, leaders focus on fixing the issue right in front of them without stepping back to assess how the team is developing.

The Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing model offers a useful way to zoom out. Developed in the mid-1960s by Bruce W. Tuckman, it provides employers with a simple framework for assessing their team, understanding how teams evolve over time, and why certain challenges tend to resurface as organizations grow.

Used as a reference point, this model helps leaders respond with intention. It also creates shared language that makes team challenges easier to discuss without immediately assigning blame.

Forming

Early in a team’s development, energy is often high. People want to contribute and make a good impression, especially in new roles or newly structured teams. At the same time, there is often uncertainty around processes, priorities, expectations, and how success will be measured.

This stage benefits from clarity more than complexity. Teams need direction, even if everything is not defined yet. Clear expectations around ownership and decision-making help people focus on their work rather than guess what is most important.

For employers, this often means slowing down enough to be explicit. Taking the time to define roles, outline near-term goals, and explain how decisions will be made creates alignment early, reducing confusion later, and letting trust develop more naturally.

Storming

Over time, teams are working more closely together but are not yet fully aligned. This is when their differences become more noticeable, as friction arises when differing communication styles collide.

This stage can feel uncomfortable, particularly for leaders who value harmony and momentum. Teams that avoid addressing tension tend to carry unresolved issues forward, which makes progress harder over time.

Storming surfaces information leaders need. It reveals gaps in clarity and exposes areas where expectations need adjustment. Employers can support teams here by addressing issues directly, reinforcing communication standards, and maintaining consistency in how accountability is applied.

How leaders respond during this phase shapes how teams handle disagreement going forward. Calm, steady leadership makes it easier for teams to work through tension without losing focus.

Norming

As teams settle, working relationships become more stable. Expectations become more realistic, and communication grows easier. People gain a clearer sense of how work gets done and how decisions are made.

Leadership during this stage focuses on reinforcement. Clear norms around feedback, ownership, and follow-through help teams stay aligned. These shared expectations create consistency and provide clarity.

With fewer distractions, collaboration improves and progress feels steadier across the team.

Performing

Teams operating at this stage show confidence in their work. Roles feel clear, ownership is shared, and strengths are applied where they add the most value. Leaders spend less time stepping in to correct course.

Flexibility increases here. Teams adjust more easily as needs change because trust has already been established. Problem-solving becomes more natural, and momentum is easier to sustain.

Even at this stage, professional development continues. Teams still benefit from reflection and feedback as the business evolves and priorities shift.

For employers, performing teams create breathing room. Leadership attention can shift toward planning and long-term priorities rather than constant intervention.

Team performance grows over time

Team growth is rarely a straight line, and team performance reflects that reality. Leaders make the most progress by paying attention to how their teams are changing and adjusting their approach instead of relying on what worked in the past. That awareness shapes clearer expectations, steadier decisions, and teams that stay aligned even as the business continues to grow.

Content provided by Q4intelligence

Photo by Rido